Fwd: A7News: Golan Heights Explosion Kills Israeli Teen, IDF Responds

Sivan 24, 5774 / Sunday, Jun. 22 '14 Subscribe to this Daily Israel Report - http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Subscribe Headlines Golan Heights Explosion Kills Israeli Teen, IDF Responds Deputy Minister Calls to Cut Off Electricity in Gaza, PA Peres, Delegation to Ask for Pollard's Release 500,000 Shekel Reward Offered for Return of Abducted Teens Watch: IDF Camera Catches Syrian Blitz of Rebel-Held City PM Soon to Publish 'Unequivocal Proof' of Hamas's Abduction IDF's Working Assumption is that Missing Teens Are Alive Golan Heights Explosion Kills Israeli Teen, IDF Responds 1. Golan Heights Explosion Kills Israeli Teen, IDF Responds by AFP and Arutz Sheva Staff At least one person is dead and several are injured in an explosion on the Israeli side of the Golan Heights Sunday, after an explosive device was detonated near a passing vehicle.  The IDF Spokesperson's Office just confirmed that two people were injured and one killed in the blast, and that the attack was carried out against "civilian sub-contractors for the Ministry of Defense."  According to Channel 10, the person killed is a 15 year-old boy; the injured include two contractors for the Ministry of Defense, including the boy's father, and up to two other people. "A 15-year-old Israeli was killed, he was the son of a contractor," a ministry official told AFP, saying the boy was traveling in a car with his father and another contractor at the time. Both contractors were also injured in the incident, he said, without saying what caused it. As of 2:30 pm, the name of the teen has been released. He has been identified as Mohammed Karaka, 15, from Kafr Arraba. "This is the most substantial incident on the border with Syria since the beginning of the civil war," said Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner, the army's foreign press spokesman, confirming it was the first death on the Israeli side. He said the shooting was deliberate. "This was an intentional attack, not errant fire," he said, adding that the target was a vehicle delivering water. Lerner said the army was "not certain if it was an explosive device, a rocket or a mortar" that caused the explosion, noting there was a hole in the nearby fence. The IDF has responded to the attack, IDF Radio reported a short time ago, firing on the border town of Quneitra, which is in Syrian President Bashar Assad's control.  Lerner said it was unclear who was behind Sunday's incident. "On the other side, we are aware of an extensive rebel, or opposition presence, but we can't confirm who was involved in it," he told reporters. [youtube:194751] 'Assad Will Fail' The Syrian border with Israel has been less than quiet, with small skirmishes erupting between Syrian rebel forces and the IDF on several occasions.  Earlier this month, Syrian rebels shot at an IDF post near Mount Hermon; no one was hurt.  In early March, two rockets landed also near an IDF post in Mount Hermon. No injuries or damage were reported in that incident. Despite several incidents, Israel has rarely seen damage or injuries from the threat of Syrian fighting along the border. Last month, several top military officials warned that the war would inevitably cross into Israel, however - and that when it did, Assad would pay the price.  "It happens quite a lot, almost daily, that a Syrian plane fighting with rebel forces approaches the Golan Heights border" an official said in May. "When it does happen, [Assad] will fall. It's bound to happen."  More to follow.  [album:open Credit: Hatzalah Yosh Post Comment 2. Deputy Minister Calls to Cut Off Electricity in Gaza, PA by Tova Dvorin and Hezki Ezra Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon called to cut off all Israeli-provided electricity to Gaza and the Palestinian Authority (PA) on Sunday, in light of the ongoing struggle to locate three teens kidnapped by Hamas ten days ago. Danon stressed that, contrary to criticism from some in the international community and from PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, a wide-scale crackdown in all areas under Palestinian Arab control is completely justified.  "In my opinion there is room for extensive activity also against the civilian population," Danon said. "What I say here is difficult, but I believe in it."  The Palestinian Authority and Hamas have encouraged ordinary citizens to hinder the IDF crackdown, with early posts on Fatah's Facebook page calling on local businesses to erase all closed-caption television footage (CCTV) of the teens or the terrorists who kidnapped them.  Meanwhile, the international community has largely rallied behind Hamas, with the United Nations even saying that there is no "concrete evidence" that the abduction happened at all.  The counterbalance to this, says Danon, is forcing civilians to come forward with information - and the international community to acknowledge the seriousness of the event.  "You have to change the daily life of the residents of Judea and Samaria and the Gaza Strip, to lower the power for a few days and force the international community to ask us why we cut off electricity," Danon said. "Then maybe we can fire back and say, 'did you know three teenage boys were kidnapped?'"  Danon's comments surface hours after a private project was launched to provide another incentive: to fund reward money for civilians who know something about the kidnapping or the boys' whereabouts in general.  Post Comment 3. Peres, Delegation to Ask for Pollard's Release by Shlomo Pitrikovsky President Shimon Peres met with Esther Pollard - the wife of longtime prisoner and Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard - and the Chairmen of the Knesset Caucus to release Jonathan Pollard, MKs Ayelet Shaked (Jewish Home) and Nachman Shai (Labor) Sunday, shortly before leaving for Washington to meet with US President Barack Obama.   [youtube:194753] Esther Pollard began the meeting by thanking Peres for his efforts to secure Pollard's freedom. "I am grateful to the President for meeting us a few days before his trip to the United States," she said. "Jonathan's health is severe and is only getting worse, and now, after thirty years, I hope they will listen to requests for his release."  Peres speaks with Esther Pollard Flash90 The Head of the Chief of Staff for Pollard's release, Effie Lahav, agreed.  "We know, Mr. President, that you made efforts during your tenure [to secure Pollard's release]," Lahav said. "Now, even more so, we strongly believe in your powers of persuasion against the US President. We are imbued with the belief that your trip to the US is the most serious and important opportunity until now for the release of Jonathan Pollard."  President Peres emphasized that he would raise the issue with the President and with Congress, citing the move as a "national duty."  "This is a national duty to act for Jonathan Pollard's release," Peres said. "I will turn to the US in the name of the Jewish people for them to release him on humanitarian grounds." "I know there are difficulties regarding Pollard['s release], and I am not afraid of them and will do whatever it takes," he added. Peres meets with Pollard, MKs Flash90 "You have done a lot on behalf of the State of Israel and the people of Israel both in Israel and abroad – I believe that only you can use your influence on the American leadership to bring Jonathan home," Shaked added. "There is a national consensus, which crosses party divides in the Knesset, of Jews and Arabs who agree that Jonathan Pollard must be released," Shai said. "I believe that if the President of the United States hears from you that the issue is important to you and to the people of Israel there will be progress." Jonathan Pollard has recently been the subject of a high-profile campaign for his release. He is now in his 29th year of incarceration in a US jail for passing classified security-related information from America to Israel. He was arrested by FBI agents in 1985 and has been held ever since, including eight years in solitary confinement. Pollard has been described multiple times as a "hostage" of the US, a notion which has ramped up criticism against the White House over recent weeks. Outrage has simmered further over a reported deal to release Pollard before the Passover holiday in April in exchange for hundreds of Israeli-held jailed Arab terrorists; the deal never materialized. His prison conditions have been described as "horrific" and he is suffering from ailing health. Post Comment 4. 500,000 Shekel Reward Offered for Return of Abducted Teens by Tova Dvorin The IDF continues to search for kidnapped teens Gilad Sha'ar (16), Eyal Yifrah (19), and Naftali Frenkel (16) on Sunday, ten days after the three were kidnapped by Hamas terrorists. Operation Brothers' Keeper has seen a wide-scale crackdown on Hamas in Judea and Samaria, and over 350 arrests.  But one project aims to bring the search into civilian hands; by paying out a large reward for intelligence related to the kidnapped teens.  Matan Nahmani launches an initiative Sunday to pay out a 500,000 shekel ($145,150) reward for private citizens who have useful tips on the teens' whereabouts.  While Nahmani has only collected part of the necessary reward money, he has appealed to the public for donations - and stated that the initiative could aid the IDF in saving the boys' lives.  "The project was conceived after consulting with ex-security officials, who thought that this could aid security forces by giving incentives for people to come forward with information," Nahmani stated to Kikar HaShabbat Sunday. "The general idea is that we do a mass funding project, pretty much - every participant contributing as much as he can toward the reward money."  While 500,000 shekel is a high bar to set, Nahmani believes the reward should be even higher.  "The minimum I want to collect is half a million (shekel), but my goal is a million and a half shekel," he said. "We decided to go public with this this morning, so I expect a lot of people to join in on this collaboration."  Nahmani said that he would even pay the money to Palestinian Arabs, saying that he thinks they will cooperate - and not provide false leads - because they are "suffering" from the IDF crackdown.  "The reality in the Palestinian Authority (PA) is problematic, there is a very large conflict between the Palestinian factions, and I believe any man who feels he is being suppressed by Hamas [. . .] would approach security forces [with information]," he said.  He added that the project would not "offer any information" to go on for tipsters - preventing any leaks back to the terrorists responsible - but merely "provide an incentive" for civilians who do know something about the abduction.  But what if the teens are found beforehand? "If the circumstances do not require us to grant the reward to anyone, the money collected will be transferred to the Administrator General and support charities," he said, adding that all documents proving as such would be posted for the public to see. The Administrator General's Office handles all monies bequeathed directly to the State of Israel, and is a suboffice of the Ministry of Justice.  Post Comment 5. Watch: IDF Camera Catches Syrian Blitz of Rebel-Held City by Ari Soffer The IDF has released footage it captured of Syrian army forces launching a blistering bombardment of the Syrian city of Nawa, near the border with Israel. The blitz of Nawa was initially recorded and uploaded online by a Syrian opposition activist and reposted on Arutz Sheva in May, and shows dozens of Katyusha rockets landing indiscriminately in a crowded civilian area. Israeli security forces at the border, who are constantly monitoring the conflict for any potential spillover into Israel, caught the moment the hail of rockets was fired from a Syrian army launchpad. The IDF released the footage last week, editing it to juxtapose the amateur footage of the rockets falling in Nawa. [youtube:194752] There have been several instances of fighting from the Syrian Civil War spilling over Israel's northern border with the country and into the Israeli Golan Heights. Many such incidents have been accidental or misfires, but in some cases fire has been directed at IDF forces. The latest incident today (Sunday), saw the first Israeli fatality in such an incident. A 15-year-old boy was killed in an apparent mortar attack targeting the car he was travelling in along with his father, who was wounded in the attack along with at least one other person. Post Comment 6. PM Soon to Publish 'Unequivocal Proof' of Hamas's Abduction by Uzi Baruch and Tova Dvorin [youtube:194749] Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu reiterated Sunday that there is "unequivocal proof" that Hamas kidnapped three yeshiva students ten days ago, shortly after a torrent of criticism over the wide-ranging IDF crackdown on Hamas from Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.  "Over the weekend I met with the parents of the abducted youths," Netanyahu began. "I promised them that we are doing, and will do, everything to bring the abducted boys home safely." "We are in the midst of a continuing and focused effort to – first of all – bring the boys home," he emphasized. Netanyahu also deflected all claims that Israel is being deliberately cruel during the operation, which has been dubbed 'Operation Brothers' Keeper.'   "This effort entails a certain friction with the civilian population in Judea and Samaria; we have no intention of deliberately harming anyone but our forces are acting as necessary for self-defense and from time to time there are victims or casualties on the Palestinian side as a result of the self-defense actions of our soldiers." "We are focusing on returning the abductees, on finding the kidnappers and on striking at the organization to which they belong," he continued. "We have unequivocal proof that this is Hamas." The Prime Minister also emphasized that while much skepticism has been raised over the "proof," such proof does exist, and is being kept quiet for strategic and political reasons.  "We are sharing this proof and information to this effect with several countries," he said. "Soon this information will be made public." Regarding Abbas, "I think that at that time Abbas's remarks in Saudi Arabia will be put to the test in practice. His remarks will be tested not only by actions to return the boys home but by his willingness to dissolve the unity government with Hamas, which abducted the youths and calls for the destruction of Israel." Earlier Sunday, Abbas claimed in a Haaretz interview that "there is no credible information" proving that Hamas abducted the teens, who have been missing since Thursday night. He also claimed that Israel's crackdown "frustrated" Palestinian Arabs and that the IDF operation violated human rights. Post Comment 7. IDF's Working Assumption is that Missing Teens Are Alive by Kobi Finkler, Gil Ronen The IDF's mammoth effort to locate the three abducted yeshiva boys who have been missing for 10 days was concentrated in western Hevron on Saturday. The missing yeshiva boys: Eyal Yifrah, Gilad Sha'ar, Naftali Frenkel Courtesy: the families A senior officer said Saturday night that three infantry brigades – the Paratroopers, Nahal and Kfir – are now concentrating their efforts on Highway 35 and Highway 60 in the Hevron area. "We are going from house to house, location to location, to bring about the locating of the three abductees," the officer added. He stressed that there is no precise intelligence yet about the boys' location and that the IDF's activity is based on estimates and cross-checking of data. "The 'golden' piece of information has not yet arrived," he said. "Our working assumption is that the boys are alive." [youtube:194746] Paratroopers' Brigade Commander Col. Eliezer Toledano said Saturday night that the operations' aims are threefold: find the abductees, catch the abductors and smash Hamas's terror infrastructure in Hevron. Every detail and bit of information are immediately scrutinized, he said, and the forces are doing everything possible to process the accumulated data. "We turn over every rock and look for clues, the combat soldiers feel committed to the mission and the sparkle in their eyes has not dulled," he said. "I believe that we will find them. We proceed with that faith day and night." Israeli security forces have arrested 10 more terror suspects as they press their search for the three teenagers kidnapped by Hamas, the army said Saturday. "Ten people were arrested overnight, bringing to 330 the number of wanted Palestinians arrested since the beginning of the operation," a spokeswoman said. Israel accuses Hamas of kidnapping two 16-year-olds and a 19-year-old who went missing June 12 at a hitch-hiking stop in Gush Etzion, an allegation the Islamist group has dismissed. Post Comment 8. Golan Heights Explosion Kills Israeli Teen, IDF Responds by AFP and Arutz Sheva Staff At least one person is dead and several are injured in an explosion on the Israeli side of the Golan Heights Sunday, after an explosive device was detonated near a passing vehicle.  The IDF Spokesperson's Office just confirmed that two people were injured and one killed in the blast, and that the attack was carried out against "civilian sub-contractors for the Ministry of Defense."  According to Channel 10, the person killed is a 15 year-old boy; the injured include two contractors for the Ministry of Defense, including the boy's father, and up to two other people. "A 15-year-old Israeli was killed, he was the son of a contractor," a ministry official told AFP, saying the boy was traveling in a car with his father and another contractor at the time. Both contractors were also injured in the incident, he said, without saying what caused it. As of 2:30 pm, the name of the teen has been released. He has been identified as Mohammed Karaka, 15, from Kafr Arraba. "This is the most substantial incident on the border with Syria since the beginning of the civil war," said Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner, the army's foreign press spokesman, confirming it was the first death on the Israeli side. He said the shooting was deliberate. "This was an intentional attack, not errant fire," he said, adding that the target was a vehicle delivering water. Lerner said the army was "not certain if it was an explosive device, a rocket or a mortar" that caused the explosion, noting there was a hole in the nearby fence. The IDF has responded to the attack, IDF Radio reported a short time ago, firing on the border town of Quneitra, which is in Syrian President Bashar Assad's control.  Lerner said it was unclear who was behind Sunday's incident. "On the other side, we are aware of an extensive rebel, or opposition presence, but we can't confirm who was involved in it," he told reporters. [youtube:194751] 'Assad Will Fail' The Syrian border with Israel has been less than quiet, with small skirmishes erupting between Syrian rebel forces and the IDF on several occasions.  Earlier this month, Syrian rebels shot at an IDF post near Mount Hermon; no one was hurt.  In early March, two rockets landed also near an IDF post in Mount Hermon. No injuries or damage were reported in that incident. Despite several incidents, Israel has rarely seen damage or injuries from the threat of Syrian fighting along the border. Last month, several top military officials warned that the war would inevitably cross into Israel, however - and that when it did, Assad would pay the price.  "It happens quite a lot, almost daily, that a Syrian plane fighting with rebel forces approaches the Golan Heights border" an official said in May. "When it does happen, [Assad] will fall. It's bound to happen."  More to follow.  [album:open Credit: Hatzalah Yosh Post Comment Subscribe to this Daily Israel Report - http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Subscribe